Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center Takes in Rare Mountain Beaver for the First Time in 25 Years
From FoxReno.com:
A rare and primitive mountain beaver was rescued over the weekend by Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, an organization that works to release orphaned and injured animals back in to the wild.
The South Lake Tahoe nonprofit wrote on Facebook that the creature, which they said appeared healthy, was recently found in the valet parking lot at the Harrah’s in South Lake Tahoe. It’s the first time they’ve rescued a mountain beaver in at least 25 years.
However, the mountain beaver name is actually a misnomer, according to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.
“This is a poster child for misleading common names: it’s not a beaver and doesn’t always live in mountains! Also, it’s a little lonely in its taxonomic neighborhood as the mountain beaver is the only living member of its genus and family,” they wrote.
The animal is considered the most primitive existing rodent, having evolved little over the last 40 million years.
